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Dissertation pros and cons

So I am in my third year and have signed up to do a dissertation but I am unsure of it. My main question is do employers look at it. ie if I didn't do one would it look worse against those who did one.

I am not super passionate about one subject and worry if I am not that interested I would not produce a good piece of work

Also I struggle with anxiety and like routine and so something so self motivating like a dissertation might not be the best fit.

I would just really appreciate an honest review on doing a diss, pros and cons- mainly does it limit with employment post uni
Employers are more interested in work experience and your skills, the chances of them asking what you did it on are slim (unless really relevant to the job)
Reply 2
It's completely normal to have reservations about undertaking a dissertation, especially when considering its potential impact on future employment and the challenges it may pose. However, it's essential to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. While completing a dissertation can showcase your research and analytical skills, it's not always a make-or-break factor for employers. The importance placed on a dissertation varies across industries and roles. Some employers value the in-depth research and commitment demonstrated through a dissertation, while others prioritize practical experience and skills gained through internships or other projects.
(edited 11 months ago)
Original post by neonprincess
So I am in my third year and have signed up to do a dissertation but I am unsure of it. My main question is do employers look at it. ie if I didn't do one would it look worse against those who did one.

I am not super passionate about one subject and worry if I am not that interested I would not produce a good piece of work

Also I struggle with anxiety and like routine and so something so self motivating like a dissertation might not be the best fit.

I would just really appreciate an honest review on doing a diss, pros and cons- mainly does it limit with employment post uni

Employers wont have a clue unless you tell them, and you'd only tell them if you were going in to a job that required you to do in-depth research. Very little chance of that unless you are going in to academia, then your dissertation is pretty vital for your PhD application.
Hi neonprincess,

First of all I'd like to ask what uni course are you doing? I presumed final year dissertations are a required element for a university degree, but you might have other ways to be assessed in your course. If you have a choice whether to do it or not, that's a good thing, and if you're still contemplating, I can share my approach to the usefulness of dissertations, being in the process of writing mine at the moment.
Adding to the very good and useful points the others have made about it being an important piece of work regarding academic career paths and it showcasing your researching, analytic and critiquing, debating skills.
Dissertations are a good way to delve into a topic you're interested in, not just for the academic purposes and to get a grade for it but for yourself, given that there's anything that can interest you enough to do a dissertation around it. You have mentioned that you don't feel particularly passionate towards any of the topics; can I ask if these are given titles/areas you'd have to choose from, and you don't like any of them, or rather, what you mean is that you're not interested in any subject in general about which you feel you could write your dissertation?
Additionally, I have found the positive value of dissertation in the fact that it is a journey that helps you grow as a person. This is particularly the case if you are writing your first dissertation, as you're making a big step for the first time in putting together the knowledge you've gained throughout your studies up to that point, and the skills you've harvested from writing all the essays and other pieces of work throughout those years. For many dissertations, students do extensive first-hand research for the first time. It's a very taxing, but equally interesting learning curve, and you can learn a lot from people, especially if you opt for doing a qualitative study, in which you'll be highly immersed in the whole process of data collection and connecting with participants, potentially learning a lot from them and about the world. At least this is my experience in doing a dissertation in cultural psychology.

About your question of employers potentially looking at your grade or dissertation, from what I've hard at my uni so far; you don't have to disclose this and many graduate jobs only care whether you've successfully completed your degree in a relevant area (where this level of specificity is applicable), and in some places they might ask you about your overall grade - if you won't have disclosed this already, which might already will have been disclosed if a high grade is achieved, but many employers basically just care about you having had achieved a grade, and your transferable skills will carry a lot more weight - which again, a dissertation can give, as you're showcasing critical skills and data collection, also analysis competencies, potentially using computer softwares to carry these out.

The bottom line is, however it is up to you whether you want to do a dissertation or not, I believe it could be beneficial to consider the above factors - and this of course will be highly dependent on what job roles you're looking to apply for - for your piece of mind, you can start by just looking a few of them up and check their essential and preferable requirements. Also, if you have Careers Advisors at your institutions, you might want to consider giving them a visit to discuss your ambitions and prospects.

I hope this was of any use, even if a little bit; if that's the case, I'm happy I could help!

Viki
Student Ambassador
3rd year Psychology and Sociology Student
University of Suffolk
Original post by threeportdrift
Employers wont have a clue unless you tell them, and you'd only tell them if you were going in to a job that required you to do in-depth research. Very little chance of that unless you are going in to academia, then your dissertation is pretty vital for your PhD application.

I agree

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